Introduction to Indigenizing and Decolonizing Feminist Philosophy

Abstract

This special issue of Hypatia aims to cultivate and encourage theorizing about Indigenous 1 philosophies and decolonizing methodologies. Although feminist theorizing has explored the diverse legacies and experiences of marginalized voices, including Indigenous concerns, philosophy has failed to acknowledge and systematically examine its own role in perpetuating colonial oppression. This special issue aims to explore how Indigenous philosophy might transform feminist theorizing. For the purposes of this issue, the terms Indigenous, Native, or First Nations people refer to peoples who have developed and maintained cultural ties in a specific region prior to colonial contact. Hence, the issue frames Indigenous identities within the context of resisting colonial domination and advocating political stances of sovereignty and self-determination. Moreover, it is important to understand the intersections and distinctions between the terms Indigenizing and decolonizing. Though not all projects of decolonization may specifically address Indigenous issues, it is important to see how decolonizing methodologies play a role in advancing Indigenous projects and perhaps developing coalitions among multiple communities affected by colonialism. A Hypatia issue dedicated to Indigenizing and decolonizing feminist philosophy is both unique and timely. It has been over sixteen years since Hypatia dedicated an issue to Indigenous feminism in Anne Waters's 2003 edited issue, Indigenous Women in the Americas. Indigenizing and decolonizing feminist philosophy is a timely issue as well, given the leadership roles of women in contemporary Indigenous activism, including resistances at Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota and Mauna Kea in Hawaiʻi. Moreover, in examining the intersections of Indigenizing and decolonizing frameworks, we aim to expand feminist theorizing on questions of sovereignty, allyship, dangers of cultural appropriation at university institutions, and activism. Feminism, in general, has historically been a contested movement that has generated skepticism among Indigenous women, in which any potential alliance between Indigenous women and feminism as a liberating framework of analysis and activism is regarded with caution. Sandy Grande characterizes a "Whitestream" feminism that fails to recognize intersectionality and props up settler-colonial ideology within models of social justice (Grande 2004). Theorists such as Lisa Hall, Joyce Green, and Kim Anderson have further articulated problems of white feminism that undermine efforts of solidarity between Indigenous women and feminism (Green 2007; Hall 2009; Anderson 2010), thereby inciting Indigenous resistance to feminist analyses, such as feminism's relationship with sovereignty, feminism's appeal to a universal category of women based on gender identity or shared oppression, and feminism's relationship to undermining traditional gender norms of Indigenous communities. Given this, many Indigenous scholars reject feminism as a platform for advancing Indigenous

Wonder as Feminist Pedagogy: Disrupting Feminist Complicity with Coloniality

“…In unpacking coloniality, Aníbal Quijano (2000) explains that as countries in Western Europe consolidated themselves as the centre of capitalism during their colonial expansion, they possessed hegemonic 2 For more on this, see Lugones (2007Lugones ( , 2010 and two recent Hypatia special issues: 'Indigenizing and Decolonizing Feminist Philosophy' (Bardwell-Jones and McLaren, 2020) and 'Toward Decolonial Feminisms' (Velez and Tuana, 2020). Luce Irigaray does not take an explicitly decolonial approach, but her critique of Cartesian logic is nevertheless helpful for these debates (see Roberts, 2019).…”

“… 2 For more on this, see Lugones (2007, 2010) and two recent Hypatia special issues: ‘Indigenizing and Decolonizing Feminist Philosophy’ (Bardwell-Jones and McLaren, 2020) and ‘Toward Decolonial Feminisms’ (Velez and Tuana, 2020). Luce Irigaray does not take an explicitly decolonial approach, but her critique of Cartesian logic is nevertheless helpful for these debates (see Roberts, 2019).…”

Finding Homeplace within Indigenous Literatures: Honoring the Genealogical Legacies of bell hooks and Lee Maracle

“…Abstract This article maps out a pedagogical juncture of bell hooks's feminist theory of homeplace (hooks 2007) and Indigenous maternal pedagogies as liberatory praxis through a journey with Indigenous women's literatures. I position this work as a response to the call to transform feminist theorizing through Indigenous philosophies as articulated in a recent Hypatia special issue (Bardwell-Jones and McLaren 2020, 2). The article documents hooks's theory of homeplace as a space of resistance and renewal and shares insights into Indigenous experiences of homeplace within historical and contemporary contexts of genocide, and the ongoing racialized and sexualized violence on Turtle Island.…”

“…Foregrounded in the work of critical race and feminist scholar bell hooks, who defined homeplace as a space of resistance and renewal within the context of racism and sexism (hooks 2007), I theorize homeplace as a critical juncture of Indigenous maternal pedagogies by extending Indigenous literatures as liberatory praxis for antiracist education. Moreover, I situate this work within the call to transform feminist theorizing through Indigenous philosophies as articulated in a recent Hypatia special issue (Bardwell-Jones and McLaren 2020, 2).…”

Introduction: Relational Activism in and through Pragmatist Feminism

“…For example, in 2020 Hypatia released two special issues explicating some of the work unfolding in decolonial and indigenizing philosophy (in particular, see Bardwell-Jones and McLaren 2020; Velez and Tuana 2020). These special issues continue some of the early work of decolonizing theory done by scholars such as Chandra Talpade Mohanty, María Lugones, Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang, and the volume edited by Uma Narayan and Sandra Harding (Narayan and Harding 2000; Mohanty 2004; Lugones 2010; Tuck and Yang 2012).…”